Al Hamilton is seen as the grandfather of Award ceremonies
in the black community. He launched the Commonwealth Sports
Awards back in 1980 to celebrate achievements of sports
men and women from the Commonwealth.

Al came to Britain from Jamaica in 1962 to develop his
career as a photographer. However, he developed his career as a sports
journalist / editor for Caribbean Times and Gleaner during
the 1970s. Between 1982-1986 he co launched and was editor
of Sports Scene.

In 1982 he was author of History of Black Pearls of Soccer.
In 1987 he organised the first football tournament between
Black British Players and the Jamaican national team which started the
foundations of professional football and Jamaican qualifying
for the e World Cup in Paris in 1998.

In1999 he was co author with Rodney Hines A-Z of Black
Football. Al Hamilton has mentored and supported a whole
of Black British sportsjournalist and developed extensive
links with all black sports stars and athletics over the
last 30 years. This is reflected in the continue success
of the Commonwealth Sports Awards over the last 23 years
and the longest established black awards event in Britain.